Expedia Group reveals growth of Chinese visitors to UAE

DUBAI: According to the latest data compiled by Expedia Group from the second quarter of 2019, the number of travellers visiting UAE from China has grown significantly. Industry leaders are suggesting that the number of Chinese tourists travelling to the GCC is expected to rise by 81% from 1.6 million in 2018 to 2.9 million in 2022, with a significant percentage choosing UAE and Dubai as their preferred holiday destination.

The data revealed that while travelers from the USA, the UK and France topped the list for overall demand into the country, travellers from China showed a robust 220% year on year growth in packagedemandcomparedtothesameperiodlastyear, making up more than 5% share of total package demand.othercountriesthatshowedstronggrowth in package demand were the US (+30% growth year on year) Germany (almost 15% growth year on year) and France (almost 20% growth year on year).

According to DCTCM, dubai welcomed more than 290,000 Chinese visitors in the first three months of the year. Figures released ater this year’s Arabian Travel Market[3] (held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 28 April – 1 May 2019), have revealed that this year Dubai saw a 106% increase in visitors from China and a 20% increase in international visitors to the event.

Factors contributing to this significant increase could be the result of initiatives Dubai government is taking to boost the tourism in the country. Earlier this year, to showcase the authenticity of Dubai’s unique propositions to Chinese travellers, Dubai Tourism signed an agreement with Huawei, one of China’s leading smartphone manufacturers.